Learn about links between Richard III and heritage site

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Published:18:06Friday 10 April 2015

There’s a chance for visitors to find out about warfare in the time of Richard III and the Wars of the Roses at Longthorpe Tower this Saturday and Sunday.

As members of a medieval re-enactment group take over the Tower, there’s a chance to meet the Whittlebury family as they are about to send soldiers off to fight for Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.

Visitors can watch the arming of a knight daily at 11am and 3pm, and families can take part in children’s drill sessions and experience life as a 15th century soldier.

Plus, there will be the chance to find out about daily life at Longthorpe and what it was like to live in the Tower over 500 years ago.

Stuart Orme, events and programmes manager for Vivacity said: “With all the recent interest in Richard III with his reburial in Leicester, we thought it was great opportunity to explore the links that the owners of Longthorpe Tower had with Richard’s court and the Wars of the Roses. This event will bring that colourful period to life and be of interest to all ages!”

Longthorpe Tower is a surviving part of a 14th century fortified Manor House and contains the finest set of medieval wall paintings in a domestic setting anywhere in Western Europe, which gives a rare insight into the medieval mind.

Event admission prices for the Tower at War event which runs from 10am to 5pm daily, are £4 adults, concessions £3, and families £10. Under 5s, English Heritage members and Vivacity Heritage Pass holders are free.

Longthorpe Tower is located on Thorpe Road, Longthorpe, Peterborough. For more information, call 01733 864 663 or email longthorpe.tower@vivacity-peterborough.com. You can also find more details on the Vivacity website at: www.vivacity-peterborough.com.